Nights in Star City
by Catheryne
Summary: Chloe finds a sudden attraction for someone returning to her life and an awakening emotion for someone who had always been around. ChloeOliver ChloeBruce
1. Chapter 1

Nights in Star City

Pairing: Chloe/Oliver, Chloe/Bruce

Summary: Chloe finds a sudden attraction for someone returning to her life and an awakening emotion for someone who had always been around.

Part 1

"Tell me Bruce Wayne isn't this lucky!"

Chloe placed her wine glass down and turned around to see the lopsided smirk of a familiar face. Her face broke into a warm smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. "Oliver Queen," she exclaimed. "And I thought you were lost at sea."

He shook his head with a smile. "I guess surviving in deserted islands was part of the Excelsior curriculum."

She nodded. "That's a good point. Who would have thought silver spoon young men like you and Lex could come back. And you look so well."

Oliver moved forward and when Chloe expected a handshake, he suddenly opened his arms and embraced her. "I'm glad to see you again, Chloe."

She returned the embrace by tightening her arms around him even more. "I'm so happy to see you, Ollie!" She closed her eyes at the wonderful scent that assailed her senses. There was nothing in the world that compared to the fragrance of rich perfume that she was pretty sure was plain old Oliver Queen.

When they pulled apart, Oliver asked, "What are you doing here? The last I heard you were living it high on Lex Luthor's payroll."

Chloe shrugged. "We had different visions of where the company should be going." He smirked. "I wanted to not have any lab testing casualties under LexCorp's name."

"And he had no such reservations," he continued for her.

"You've never been Lex's fan," Chloe pointed out.

"How's dear old Lois?"

"Fine," Chloe answered quickly. "She's fine. Married Clark a few years into her journalism career at the Daily Planet." She suddenly found her fingernails fascinating.

Oliver's hand covered hers and his voice rumbled in his chest. "I'm sorry."

"You didn't know?" she inquired breathlessly, oddly unsettled at the sensation his warm hand drew.

"I knew. And I'm sorry, Chloe."

She shook her head free of the rapidly descending cloud that hovered above her. Chloe flashed a confident smile and said, "So what brings you here to Gotham City?"

He started to speak, then closed his mouth. Oliver's lips curved into a secretive smile. "Let me make it more interesting for you. I know how much you love mysteries." The words brought a smile to her lips. "I'm giving you exactly two hours to find out. By the end of this party, you have to tell me why I'm here."

"Is Oliver Queen actually proposing a bet?"

"Why not?" was his easy answer.

"Is it going to be worth my while?"

"If I win, you'll have to take me out for coffee."

She nodded. "That sounds workable. And what will you do if I win? I should warn you, I most likely will."

"Coffee," he smirked.

Chloe snorted. "This from a billionaire. Bruce at least offers dinner when he's wrong."

"In Italy," he added.

Chloe blinked.

"Imagine having a cup of espresso at the bottom of the steps in Piazza di Spagna. Wouldn't that be worth your while?" he tempted.

With a determined look on her face, Chloe excused herself and searched for the one man in the room whom she was certain knew why Oliver Queen, billionaire, was in this charity ball. An espresso at the bottom of the Soanish steps in Rome was hers for the taking. She was not going to let Oliver Queen win on any type of bet.

"Bruce!" she called. The dark haired man leaned forward to listen to the lady in the red dress who was tiptoeing to whisper something in his ear. From a distance she saw Bruce grin like a cat, then nod. The two walked away from Chloe. She turned around and saw Oliver waving his fingers at her, then miming the act of sipping from a coffee cup. Her eyes narrowed. Chloe burst into a casual run to catch Bruce. "Bruce," she gasped.

Finally, Bruce turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Chloe Sullivan, may I help you?"

"Bruce, really… Are you going to do business when we've got another meeting to attend to?" drawled the redhead on his arm.

Bruce's eyes narrowed at Chloe, and she had been working with him long enough to know that he did not appreciate the disruption. "Whatever it is, Chloe, I'm sure it can wait until Monday." He glanced towards the bar. Bruce stepped away from the redhead and took Chloe aside. "But just to keep you busy, I want you to monitor who the CEO of Queen interacts with tonight. I want to know who to go after in case my deal with him leaks."

"What are you working on?" she asked breathlessly.

"A mutually advantageous relationship," he informed her. "Drake Medical is not going to get to Star City before Wayne Pharma does."

Her heart sank at Bruce's words. The way that Oliver set it up made it so intriguing. How disappointing that the truth was nothing but an effort to push the smallest division of Wayne Enterprises into Oliver's domain.

"Bruce, are you going to take longer?" the redhead said in singsong. "You know Lex never let me wait this long."

Chloe's jaw dropped at the insinuation. Still openmouthed and laughing silently, she looked at Bruce's face transform. To rub salt in the wound, she added, "Yet it seems Luthor Chem did get elsewhere before Wayne Phrama did."

"Shut up," Bruce whispered. He turned to the redhead and said, "Ivy, I'm sorry. Chloe's made me realize that I have more work to do."

"Not really, Br—"

Bruce caught Chloe's arm and stiffly walked her away from Ivy. "Don't make this worse and I will pay your rent for three months."

She chuckled. "You already do, Bruce, or do I need to remind you all of the terms of the employment contract that took me from LexCorp and to you?"

"I'm starting to reconsider all that," he grumbled.

"Poor Bruce," she laughed, patting his upper arm. "Am I making life too difficult for you?"

He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Just hang around Queen and make your employment worth the ridiculous amount you're getting."

"And what do you propose I do—tie him down?"

Bruce closed his eyes tightly. "That's a nasty image. Just be grateful you're Clark's friend or I would have fired you for making such inappropriate remarks."

"You wouldn't dare," she parried.

"Take him out for coffee or dinner. Talk to him until his ears bleed," he suggested. "You're good at that."

"Fine," Chloe decided. "But I'm using my expense account."

Just then, Oliver Queen strolled towards them with two glasses of wine. He handed one to Chloe and then turned to Bruce. "I only have two hands," he said as an excuse for not giving any to Bruce.

"Hello Oliver," Chloe greeted. "Care to have a cup of coffee?"

Oliver grinned. "In Rome?"

She opened her bag and flashed a black credit card that had in very small text the name WAYNE. "Why not?"

Bruce massaged the bridge of his nose. "Chloe…"

"I'm very interested in coffee in Rome. Do you have something to tell me?" Oliver inquired, extending his arm towards her.

Chloe placed her hand on his arm. "I have half the answer," she told him. "You can fill me in on the rest."

The moment they rounded the corridor, Chloe tugged at his arm to stop him.

"Alright. This is far enough," she told him.

"Had enough fun with Bruce?" he inquired.

"Not nearly," she answered. "But I'll take care of that in my own time. I don't want to keep you. You probably have much better things to do."

"Like what?" he fished.

"Bruce wants to monopolize Star City with his pharma company, doesn't he?"

He nodded and smiled in appreciation. "Well your reporter instincts are still there. But all you've told me is the reason Bruce could possibly want to hound me. Have you found out why I'm here? There should be something in it for me, shouldn't there?"

"Come on, Oliver, you know you want to tell me," she teased.

Oliver chuckled and met her eyes. "I really don't," he told her.

"Fine," Chloe huffed.

"You owe me coffee." Chloe rolled her eyes. She stalked away from him. "Are you running out on me?"

"I'm getting my coat," she threw back. "I suggest you get yours too because we are walking to the café I like a couple of blocks away, and we're walking there."

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

Oliver led her to a small table in the corner of the small café that Chloe had suggested. The place was cozy, and the ambience was just like home if you had been brought up in a countryside with a small roaring fire as the source of warmth. He supposed that this was where Chloe liked hanging out because it was quiet and private enough that she could likely get lost for hours in her notebook as she typed away Bruce's speeches and Wayne Enterprises' press releases in peace.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" she prodded, proud of her find. "Don't you dare start taking your dates here. I'm not willing to turn this into a crowded hotspot just because Oliver Queen is frequently spotted here."

"Aren't you endangering the state of your haven by even taking me here this once?" he inquired.

Chloe shook her head. "All the paparazzi are in Wayne," she said matter-of-factly. "In fact, I'd bet you you can streak and run around outside without any snapshot plastered in the newspapers tomorrow."

He grinned. "Wouldn't you like to see that?" At his words, amazingly enough, Chloe flushed. "Speaking of paparazzi," he continued as he looked through the menu, "I doubt coffee here compares to what the Piazza can offer."

"You know I agreed to that only because I wanted to tick off my boss," she reminded him.

"But the deal is that you can tell me exactly why I'm here. Your half thought of explanation wasn't good enough, and definitely not correct."

Chloe rolled her eyes. She then gazed at Oliver's grinning smug face and shook her head. He was as irritatingly secretive as Bruce and even more arrogant than Lex, if both were possible. Still, she couldn't help but smile back hesitantly at how infectious his grin was, given the clean boyish good looks that were the exact opposite of the brooding affair that characterized all three men she once held reluctant attraction for. Despite the secret that he used to tantalize her, Oliver was one of the most magnetic personalities she'd met, and she'd met a lot.

"It's Friday," he added. "We'll be there until Sunday night. You'd have plenty of time to scurry back to the office by Monday." And then, with a smirk, he said, "Bruce wouldn't even know."

She huffed. "Believe me, the moment we step into the airport he'd know. My boss keeps track even on weekends. I'm not exactly on a 9-5, 5 days a week."

He nodded, seeing the point much like any other business man. "Given that he'd tripled your last salary I'd supposed he'd demand triple the time."

"How did you—" her voice trailed off. "I suppose I shouldn't even ask." He smiled, and it was pretty. "He did tell me to keep my eye on you," she offered.

"What better way than take me out of the country where I'd have no business to conduct with anyone that Bruce deems is a competitor," he offered conspiringly.

She grinned brightly. "He couldn't fault me for that."

He arched his eyebrow. "Shall we?" Oliver went up behind her and extended his hand for her to take.

Chloe put down the menu and stood up. Then she exclaimed, "Oh no. She's going to be disappointed."

"Who is?"

"The owner of the diner. We're lost business, and not a lot of people drop by here." She glanced at the elderly woman eagerly waiting for them to call her. "I'd hate to break her heart."

Oliver shook his head. "Not to worry." He took a couple of bills from his pocket and then helped her up. Before leaving, he handed the bills to the woman, who stared at the two hundred in wonder. "I apologize, ma'am, that we have to run so early. Consider this our prepaid credit for when we come back."

The woman broke into a bright smile. "It's good to know you're coming back. You two are such a lovely couple."

"Oh we're not—" Chloe protested.

"Chloe, sweetheart, is it so hard to just say thank you?"

She glanced up at his twinkling eyes, and smiled. "Thank you."

Oliver pulled at Chloe's hand, and they walked briskly towards the door. Out in the street, Chloe let out an uncharacteristic giggle as she slapped Oliver's arm. "I don't believe you!" she cried. "Why lie to the poor woman?"

"Hey," Oliver answered easily, "it's much easier to agree with people who just presume that a man and a woman who are out together late at night are a couple. Or would you rather still be inside while you expound on our non relationship to her?"

"Non relationship isn't the best term for it."

Oliver's lips curved. "So we have a relationship?" he inquired.

"I've been asked by my boss to keep you close, because of business that neither of you has been inclined to enlighten me about. You used to date my cousin, who is now married to the guy I used to date." She paused. "Damn. That sounded like we're a couple of rejects."

He shook his head. "That you would never be." Oliver pulled her along with him and they walked in the street. He raised an arm and a cab stopped in front of them. Oliver held the door open as she got in, then he got in after her. "The airport," he told the driver.

Chloe gasped. "Excuse me! I thought we could pick up a few things from our respective places. Or would you be willing to spend a weekend in a foreign country without even a toothbrush?" She looked pointedly at their clothes. "And wearing only my gown and your tux?"

"Don't worry about it," he assured her. "We'll buy everything we need when we get off the plane."

Spoken like a millionaire, Chloe thought. She settled back in her chair and wondered exactly how long they would have to wait to meet a schedule of a plane bound for Rome. She chuckled silently to herself. He was a breath of fresh air, coming straight from a city she had never been to and with the personality that was so impulsive he was the direct opposite of the men she'd known before.

The cab rolled closer to the airport, but instead of pointing the driver to the departure area, Oliver gave directions to what Chloe recognized as the private tarmac.

"I could hear your thoughts screaming loudly in my ear. No, you wouldn't need to scramble through long lines to find tickets." He paid the driver and got off the cab, then extended his hand to help her out.

Chloe, unused to such chivalry, reached and placed her hand in his. As she was climbing out, she stumbled and fell against Oliver's chest. "Sorry," she mumbled. Her hair had fallen across her forehead and covered her eyes. She blew on it, but it only flopped back down as a short veil blocking her vision.

"Perfectly alright," he whispered, still clutching her against him with his arm across her back. He reached up and pushed the hair from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear.

She blinked up at him. His eyes were full of mirth as he looked down at her. Her eyes fell to his lips, slightly parted, glistening with soft moisture despite the cold. She saw the moment that the mirth slowly seeped out of his eyes, and he regarded her somberly, holding her gaze. His hand left her ear and he laid his palm on her cheek, cupping her face.

"I think I'm stable now," she said softly.

He leaned down and kissed her softly, it felt that there were butterfly wings fluttering against her lips. For a few brief seconds the kiss was so light and pleasant that it sent shivers through her nape. She moaned a little at the feelings it evoked. His lips momentarily left hers. Chloe opened her eyes blearily. She saw vaguely his face as he looked at her in wonder, as if she were a discovery he had not expected but was awed by. Then he lowered his head again and Chloe closed her eyes. Now his mouth was fully on her, hungry, taking her breath away. She kissed him back, returning the fervor that he now used, and it was no longer butterflies playing against her lips, but a full on ravaging that afterwards made her lips almost raw, certainly fuller and wetter than they had been before.

"Okay," she breathed. "Hold on to me because I'm completely unstable again."

"I can hold on forever," he confessed, tightening his arms around her.

She smiled against his shirt. When she started shivering, he rubbed his hands on her arms. "As much as I'd love to stay in this position," he began, "I don't want to do it as ice sculptures." He looked behind him. "Let's get into the jet and I'll warm you up there."

Chloe nodded and let him lead her to the private plane that was waiting for them.

Oliver deserved many things for the thievery he'd done--be it to serve those who were at a disadvantage or be it to deceive the rich who hadn't given back to the world. He was certain enough about his place in the world that he knew for sure that try as he might, he wouldn't deserve the woman who was riding in front of him, the creamy expanse of her back shining under the stark Italian sunlight, cocky as she swiped her platinum card at every stop that required payment.

"You are aware that I can pay for both our ways, aren't you?" he drawled when she wriggled her fingers inside her pocket fishing for the card.

"Wouldn't want to become indebted to you, Mr Queen. We are in a foreign country after all. I might not be able to meet your expectations," she reasoned teasingly.

Oliver's burning eyes looked her from her head to her toes, then back up to flaming cheeks. "I wouldn't worry about that, Chloe. Besides, it doesn't exactly sit well with me that Bruce Wayne is paying for my date."

"Is this a date?" she asked teasingly.

The carriage that she insisted on riding stopped at the foot the steps at the Piazza. He hopped off and extended his arms up to help her down. She shook her head at him and jumped down on her own.

"You insist on treating this as something platonic?"

She shook her head. "Don't worry about the credit card. I'm paying for all this. I just want to piss Bruce off which he is sure to be when he can't find me and pulls up my bills to try to find me."

Oliver regarded her with a steady gaze. "So…"

"What?" she prodded.

"What exactly is it that your boss has done that makes you want to test him all the time?" he inquired.

She shrugged. "It's something we do to keep things interesting," she told him. "We lead a very boring life at Wayne. Public Relations is struggling to clean up Bruce's rep."

Oliver smirked. "So he's tired of his reputation as a shallow playboy living off his parents' money? You actually traded in a busy job spinning for Lex Luthor when he's accused of torture and murder for a job keeping Wayne's affairs secret?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "When you say it that way it's bad," she told him. "I have the feeling that there's more to Bruce than meets the eye."

Oliver took her hand in his and pulled her close. Chloe leaned her head against his arm, more comfortable around him than she would verbalize. Sometimes it took more than just words. "Has he said anything to you?"

She smiled. "He has a secret. I don't need to know what it is to know that it's the most important thing in his life."

"I know his secret," Oliver claimed. When she looked up to him in inquiry, he smirked. "He's an alcoholic."

She shook her head. "He's never drunk," she pointed out. Before she could defend Bruce even more avidly, Chloe gasped at the sight that finally emerged when they turned the corner. "Oh my God." Her hand around Oliver's tightened.

The Piazza di Spagna loomed from afar, with the sprawling Spanish steps right beside it. Chloe was awed by the sight. Involuntarily, her free hand reached up to hold onto to Oliver's upper arm, feeling very small and regular at the presence of its majesty.

"Didn't I promise that espresso with me would be heaven?" he murmured into her ear.

She shook her head, speechless. Chloe had seen many things, but her travel experience was limited to hotels and factory visits in suburbs and cities around the world. They were all she needed to go to as Lex's employee. Now as Bruce's, Chloe was slowly opening up to the culture that he offered. As his companion to affairs that he attended, Chloe was exposed to museums, fashion shows and art galleries.

But she had never been to such beauty that seemed to have shot directly out of a painting.

"I can take you to a lot more of these, Chloe," Oliver offered.

She shook her head at the idiocy of tearing up at the sight. "It would be such a waste of money," she pointed out. "If there is something that I remember about you, it's that you'd rather give away to the poor than to throw your money away."

Warmth flowered in his chest at the words. She knew him, even while he thought that he was merely a passerby in Smallville. She knew him, even when he had not shared his life with her. She knew him, just because of the kiss.

It was ridiculous, and Oliver worried about his thoughts turning too sentimental.

He stopped and turned to face her. "It would be the best way to spend my money," he told her.

As she looked into his eyes, Chloe felt a shiver run from her fingertips, exploding to her heart. "I'll make you a deal," she said. "I'm not exactly impoverished, although it might seem like that compared to you or my employers. I can more than afford to spend for vacations."

His eyes narrowed. "If you offer to pay for me again, I'm going to put you over my knees."

"I'll pay for our first vacation, and you'll do it for our next. And so on…"

"So we're talking about a standing engagement," he clarified.

Suddenly she was shy. "If you want to."

Even if she was trying to ignore that whatever was between them was now undeniable, Oliver was not. He released her hands and then took her by her upper arms. "So much, Chloe." His head lowered and Oliver took Chloe's lips for a long, tender kiss.

"Ollie," she breathed against his mouth. "Ollie, wait." She placed her hands on his chest and gave him a gentle push.

He looked down at her closed eyes. When her eyes fluttered open, and he saw them dazed, he grinned.

"You owe me coffee. We've got to go."

He nodded and placed his arm around her shoulders. Together, they walked over towards the steps. "Coffee, then we're climbing those steps," Oliver warned her. "We'll go to the church at the Trinità dei Monti."

tbc


End file.
